Cutting machine



J. w. BRACKETT CUTTING MACHINE .F iled April 14, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 h2K lll ATTORNEYS 5 Sheets-Sheet Illal nn;

' 'AFIDRNEYS J. W. BRACKETT CUTTING MACHINE Oct. 8, 1946.

Filed April 14, 1944 Oct. 8, I946. J w. BRACKETTY 2, 08,729

CUTTING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet s \l E Q Q Q v l v Qa w I WNW v y 1 7 9% B ml? I s 1: 3 v l J \x i & u b i Q H \5 w A 38 I 03. N N Q a Q,

l N T J g E 3 3" v f (/6666 d 0%6/L INVENTOR.

ATTD R N EYE 5- .J. w. BRACKETT 2,408,729 Y CUTTING MACHINE I FiledApril 14, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYS Oct. 8, 1946. J. w. BRACKETT21,498,729

CUTTING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2:22: ZZZ-I III...III-:-

. (/6688 MBra 0%61! I ENTOA "slot- 98 in the arm. in bearings I attachedto the hood I6 and is provided with a cam I02 attached to the link by 3to the axis of the clutch ring 18 so that the clutch part may rotatefreely in one direction relatively to the clutch ring 18 but isrestrained from rov tation in the opposite direction so as to preventreverse rotation of the feeding rollers 26. The clutch part 80 is alsoprovided with recesses 90 for housing spring pressed roller elements 92.The bottom faces of these recesses are also tangentially arranged sothat the clutch ring 82 may turn freely in one direction relatively tothe clutch part 80 but becomes fixedly related thereto when the clutchcollar is turned-in the opposite direction. In Figure 1,counterclockwise rotation.

- bolted a cam ring I14 having a groove I16 proof the arm 84 impartsclockwise motion to the feeding rollers 26 foradvancing the slab, whileclockwise rotation of the arm is consummated independently of the gear66 by reason of the *clutch 68 so as not toimpart any reverse rotation*to the feeding rollers 26.

One end of a link 94 is pivotally connected with-the arm 84 by a bolt 96extending through a This link is slidably guided bolts I04. This cam isactuated by two rotary Figure 1 illustrates lower rotary cam I06 toslide the link' 94 to its other extreme position. Thus the projections II4 are successively engaged by the respective rotary cams I06 to impartreciprocatory motion to the link 94 and oscillatory motion to the arm84.

The stroke of the linkv 94 may be varied through substitution of camshaving larger or smaller throw of projection arrangements. The cam I02is detachably connected with thelink to facilitate Lsuch substitution.

. iThe :lower-shaft I 88 drivenby a speed reducer I18 operated by ashaft I20 to which is econnected a drive pulley I22 for connection witha motor, not shown. Vertical guides I24 are 10- cated at opposite sidesof the machine for slidably guiding a cutting blade I26, see Figures 2,9

and 10. This knife is supported between b-ars l28secured into a unitarystructure by. bolts I30,

one-of? the bars 128 being provided with two flangelike bodies I32slidable inthe guides I24. -Tol.each.fiange .I32 vis pivotally connectedthe '3 lower .end of an arm I 34 having its upper end .,pivotally.connected at I36 with a wheel I38 conistituting a crank for operatingits arm I34 to impart reciprocatory motion .to the blade I26.

Each wheel I38 is attached to a rotative shaft. I 40 provided with asprocket I42 for connectionwith --achain I44; These chains pass, aroundsprockets I46;keyed'to arotative shaft I48. This shaft is provided witha sprocket I 50 connected with a chain I52 passing'around a sprocket I54driven by'the upper shaft I08.

a The'upper shaft I08 comprises co-axial shaft sections I56 and-I58.-berLI60'is splined tothe shaftl58, as at I62, so thatthe clutch partmay be shifted longitudinal- .-ly of the shaft but is keyed forrotationtherewith. One face of the member I60 is provided with teeth I64engageable with teeth I66 on one faceof aclutch disk I68 attachedto' theshaft In Figure 6, a clutch mem- I on the blade I26.

' and the arms.

226 in the arms 222. 15.

vided with an offset run I18. This ring is of such internal diameter asto permit the clutch vrith ribs I84-on a bar I86 slidably mounted inaligned openings I88 in the member I10 and the ring I14. To the bar I86isattached a jaw I90 engageable with teeth I92 on the face of the diskI68 opposite the teeth I66 in one position of the clutch member I60. Inthe other position of the clutch member I60 the jaw I90 is clear of theteeth I92 to permit free rotation of the disk. The jaw I90 functions asa momentum arrester upon disengagement of the shaft sections I56 andI58.

A sprocket I94 is attached to the lower shaft I08 and connects with achain I96 passing around a relatively large sprocket I98 attached to thesection I58 of the upper shaft I08. The upper gear IIO rotates as a unitwith the upper cam I06' but is freely mounted on the upper shaft I08.:The chain I96 drives the upper shaft I08, while the intermediate gearII2 supplies power to the upper gear IIO, the two gears I I0 being ofthe same size so that the two cams I06 will maintain the same relativepositions at all times.

While the cams I06 rotate continuously, the slab 38 is advancedforwardly at spaced intervals and the clutch 68 disengages during thedescending and ascending movement of the blade I26. At the same time,the clutch structure of Figure 6 functions to arrest movement of thecutting blade ;clutch structure of Figure 6 is engaged while the pin Iis riding in the groove I16 outside the run. I18, which groove is ofsufficient length topermit the strip cut from the slab to be cut intothe requisite number of pieces.

Means for cutting the strip 200 of Figure 1 into cubes comprises a rightangular flange 202 This strip lies on a line of horizontal rollers 204,see Figures 14 and 15. An upper line of rollers 206 hold the strip inposition The table I 0 affords support for the rollers 204, While therollers 206 are mounted in a frame 208 carried by arms 2I0 adjustablymounted on upright supports 2I'2 through the medium of bolts 2I4extending through slots 2I6 in both the supports A row of rollers 2I8 isarranged in a straight line for rotation about vertical axes in a commonplane; and arranged to engage one side of the strip: 200.

These rollers are also mounted in a frame 220 carried by arms 222adiustably mounted on the upright supports 2I2 through the medium ofbolts 224 extending through the slots 2 I 6 in'the supports'2 I 2 andslots As the material is advanced intermittently, the

knife I26 reciprocates and severs a strip therefrom which has beendesignated as 200. The horizontal rollers then feed the severed striplaterally under the angular portion of the blade and the knife and theangular blade portion continuously reciprocate whereupon the angularblade portion severs into small sections the laterally fed strip.

In Figures 14 and 15 ahead 228 is provided with pins 230 arranged to beprojected into the body of the strip 200 for advancing the strip step byste to be severed by the flange 202. This head is slidably guided by abar 232 slidable in a bearing 234 and reciprocated through the 'mediumof a link 236. This link is provided with a slot 238 for the receptionof a pin 240 carried by the bar 232. The link 236 is pivotally connectedintermediate its ends, as at 242, with the table l0. A rotary cam 244actuates the link for positively pivoting the same to the full lineposition of Figure 15. As the end 246 of the, link passes over thecorner 248 on the cam. a tension spring 250 snaps the link to the dottedline position for retracting the head 228 sufficiently far to bring thepins 230 clear of the strip.

The bearing 234 is attached to one end of a bar 252 slidable in a uide254 mounted on the table Hi. This guide is slotted at 256 to provideaccommodation for a lateral projection 258 engageable with the head 228to afford additional support therefor when the strip is being pushedunderneath the flange 202. A bearing 260 is mounted on the table I0 toafford additional support'for the bar 252. To one face of the bar 252 isbolted a plate 262 through the medium of bolts 264. This plate isprovided with two projections 266 and 268 respectively engageable bycams 210 and 212. Shafts 214. 216 and 218 are connected with the cams244, 210 and 212 and are rotatably journaled in the table l0. Gears 280are respectively attached to the shafts and mesh to impart rotation tothe cams. When viewing Figure 15, the cam 244 rotates counterclockwise.the cam 210 turns clockwise. while the cam 212 rotates counterclockwise.counterclockwise rotation of the cam 212 shifts the bar 252 to the leftfor imparting a feeding stroke to the head 228 and the pins 230. As thepiece is cut from the strip 200, the cam 210 is brought into engagementwith the projection 266 for moving the bar 252 to the right to bring thepins 230 to a position inwardly of the severed end of the strip. The cam244 operates in timed sequence with the action of the cams 210 and 212so as to impart reciprocatory motion to the bar 232 at the proper time.

To the shaft 218 is attached a bevel gear 282 meshing with a bevel gear284 mounted on a shaft 286 provided with a sprocket 288 driving a chain290 passing around a sprocket 292 attached to the shaft I48.

Pieces severed by the flange 202 are pushed therefrom in the event ofadherence through the medium of a knocker 294 attached to a sprocket296, see Figure 8, which sprocket is rotatably mounted on one of theguides I24, see Figure 2, and driven by a chain 298. This chain passesaround a sprocket 300 attached to the shaft 286. This knocker rotates ina counterclockwise direction when viewing Figure 8 to remove the piece302 from the flange 202 and the short end length 304 of the blade I26.Both the blade and the flange are preferably toothed along. their loweredges, as at 306. The cutting edges will of course depend upon thenature of the material being cut.

The greater length of the slab is supported on the conveyor 20, therolls 26 and 28. The upper rolls are adjustable so that the slab may beformed to the desired thickness. The conveyor 20 operates to support theslab for easy movement and to move the 'slab material uniformlythroughout its entire width, because of the pins 24. The rolls 34 arepreferably ribbed longitudinally and are relatively heavy to perform thebulk of the pressing action.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain myinvention. that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adaptthe same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

1. In a machine as described, the combination of means forintermittently advancing a body of nlastic material. means for pressingthe material into a slab of predetermined thickness, a knife comprisinga straight blade and an angular blade element attached thereto, meansfor imparting lateral movement to successive strips cut from thematerial by saidstraight blade to bring successive strips underneath theangular blade element to be cut into pieces of redetermined size, meansfor actuating the knife. and means for actuating said advancing means intimed sequence with said knife.

2. In amachine as describedthe combination of means for intermittentlyadvancing a body of material to be cut. pressure rollers reducing thematerial to a predetermined thickness. a vertically reciprocating knifeblade and an angular blade thereon. means for laterally moving a severedstrip of material in the path of movement of the angular blade to cutthe strip into small sections of predetermined size, means for removingthe sections from the angular blade, and a container receiving theremoved section.

3. In a machine as described the combination of means for intermittentlyadvancing a body of material to be cut. pressure rollers reducing thematerial to a predetermined thickness, a vertically reciprocating knifeblade and an angular blade portion located at one end thereof, means forlaterally moving a'severed strip of material in the path of movement ofthe angular blade to cut the strip into small sections, means forremoving the strip from the angular blade, and a container receiving theremoved sections.

4. In a machine as described the combination of means for intermittentlyadvancing a body of material to be cut, pressure rollers reducing thematerial to a predetermined thickness, a vertically reciprocating knifeand an angular blade thereon, a roller conveyor for moving a severedportion of the material laterally in the path of movement of the angularblade to cut the severed portion into small pieces, means for removingthe pieces from the angular blade, and a container receiving the removedpieces.

5. In a machine as described the combination of means for intermittentlyadvancing a body of material to be cut. pressure rollers reducing thematerial to a predetermined thickness, a vertically reciprocating knifehaving an end flange forming an angular blade portion, a roller conveyorfor moving a severed strip of material laterally in the path of movementof the angular blade portion to cut the severed strip into small pieces,means for removing the pieces from the angular blade portion, and acontainer receivmg the removed pieces.

JESSE W. BRACKETT.

